An Alien in America

I'm three and a half weeks back in America and adjusting and struggling to find the juice to try and explain how I feel about the transition...fortunately for my current blogging ineptitude, the great Grrrl Traveler has described the experience of reverse culture shock from Asia/SE Asia to America spot.on.

What's it like to be back?  Find out here.

Are you on Facebook?

If so, "like" and follow the development of my new project:

 http://www.facebook.com/SriLankaStreetDogs

And now?

After 13 months of transformation in Korea, 100 more glorious days of lovely countries, incredible people, huge lessons and changed perspectives abounded.  I'm 11 days into America, 24 hours into Dallas, and 6 months and 24 days from strapping my backpack on again for more.

What do I know now?  I am more in love with the world than ever before.  I feel more peace, more love, and my arms are open wider than I've ever known possible.  Stories to tell.  Lessons to share.  Happiness to spread everywhere.  I'd seen a lot of countries before this.  I'd "enjoyed" travel before this.  But...I saw it differently this time around.  I let it actually change me.  My final month slapped me in the face with a new perspective on...everything.

Two days ago this happened.  Few things have made me happier in my life than m'bro's gorgeous smile on this day:

Last night, this happened.  Many dogs have broken my nose before, but few have been so welcomed in doing so:

And now?  Absorbing what I can of Dallas.  Until May.  Remembering that every second of every day, there are beings out there. Thinking, feeling, doing things, living their lives, and existing.  Being.  Being.   We all know this.  But I never knew this.  I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of this full realization.  I'm reminding myself of it daily.

More to come.

You. Yes, You. Thank you and I love you.

It's time.  I blinked and 13 months in Korea happened.  It was nothing like I anticipated and it was everything it should have been.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  all the credit for this being an actual great experience goes to the people I met here.  This post is for you, people.  Yes, you:

You have changed my life.  You have made me smile.  You have made me laugh.  You have made me grow.  I'm the same, but I am different now.  Better different.  Because of you.  You've inspired me, challenged me, swooned me.  I've completely fallen in love with each of you and the incredible brilliant'ness you posses and have enlightened me with.

I am lucky for knowing you. Thank you for existing and making life better.  Thank you for loving life and making it count.  We've made some good ol' love.  Thank you, thank you.  Thank you.

Here's to meeting again and sharing moments elsewhere in the world.

One adventure onto another adventure onto another adventure

In one week, this happens:  Seoul -> Indonesia -> Vietnam -> Laos -> Cambodia -> Thailand -> Sri Lanka -> Philly -> Dallas...for a limited time before hopefully a coveted internship in Borneo.

If not Borneo, then likely Australia or NZ.  If not Australia or NZ, then somewhere else in the world.

But that's later. Now, in the present, Korea has never been so great.  Happiness rounds out my final week.

Boom.

Bhudda's Birthday and the Bad-jumma

I don't craft.  I don't art.  I appreciate people who do.  S'all cool and impressive.  I'd like to think I'm creative.  I just don't create.  Glue and paint and scissors are tedious to me.  This has been a very hard thing for my ladies here to accept.

Which is why it was so astounding that I sat down on Bhudda's birthday at Samkwangsa temple in Busan and began crafting a little lantern.  What can I say...I was swept away in the awesomery around me.  We opted to visit the least foreigner-infiltrated temple for the holiday, and it was perfect.  Hundreds of thousands of lanterns surrounded us, we sat in on some of the monks performing their ceremonies, people were all smiles, the weather was perfect, and then we saw....lantern making stations.  I was weirdly all about it.

We bebopped over and diddy'd up some little lanterns made out of crepe paper and cups, all the time surrounded completely by papparazzo's.  The only downside to going where there are no other foreigners is the amount of attention you receive from locals.  Approximately 938578415785608 cameras were in our faces taking twice as many photos of us and our creations.  So naturally when an ajumma motioned for me to hand over my lantern, I assumed it was because she was going to swoon over it/me.  Also, you just don't say no to an ajumma.  I only do if I'm holding a large umbrella or something to protect myself with.

Anyway.  The hand over of my lantern occurred.  The swooning did not.  She jetted.  WITH MY LANTERN.  We were astounded.  After about 20 minutes of "surely she's coming back," reality set in....I got thieved.  The ajumma was a bad-jumma.

In a whole year, my ladies, who are ridiculously crafty people (seriously - they have actually set aside whole days for crafting together), witnessed me willingly delve into a project.  I'm gonna say I must have done a pre-ttay bangin' job with it if it warranted a steal.  But, um.  I'll also probably never craft again.  I've been bad-jumma-maged.  <---read:  bad-ajumma-damaged....drumroll, please and ah-thank you.

proof.  it happened.

Bhudda's birthday photo montage:

Happy Father's Day, Kate Lubbahs You

Happy Father's Day, Old Man Pops!  Yous a good one and I'm glad you're mine.

Feast your eyes upon some weird kids wishing you love and happiness to a tearjerky tune:

seriouslyreadthisthing

All the words and words and words and words in the previous post?  They're now being zenned out by this dude.  Ajahn Chah.  I started reading the collection of his Dharma talks, Being Dharma:  The Essence of Buddha's Teachings.

Holy vegan macaroni.  My whole worldview is being transformed.  I'm a rookie in this department, but I'm a fan.  Not that I'm going to run off to try and find enlightenment and nirvana.  I don't have time for that.  Nor do I have any desire to subscribe fully to any one religion.  But Ajahn Chah explains the Buddhist practice in such simple terms that it is almost moronic not to apply them to your life and the situations that are thrown at you.  I'm trying and it's hard. I'm hitting and missing; just can't always control the crazy.  But the overall message and idea is sound and one I'm going to keep working to incorporate in my life.

Go forth.  Read it.  That's about all I can say without totally kooking out.

In other news, how impressive am I to make two posts within a week?

Here's a story:  I took Monday off to sit and read at the beach and work through m'brain; needed a mental health day.  Woke up with a few nuts still loose, refreshed myself with some pages from Ajahn Chah, and zenfully grooved out the door to catch my train back to Ulsan.  I was jamming to some toons in the subway when the oldest ajusshi I've ever seen tapped me smack on my head said "Pep" and pointed to my feet.  Obviously, I have no idea what he was actually saying or referring to.  But I'd like to assume he was telling me I had pep in my step.  I was sassyin' along to my music.

...It's definitely going to be hard to go back to living in a place where I understand everything that's being said and can't just turn it into whatever I want...

Here's to Anjahn Chah and peppy steps.

Goodbyes from amazing people, cameo lovers, Matty and ink

Goodbyes...They are beginning.  Or ending.  Or both.  Or...hmm.

Somehow I ended up creating a family with people who all arrived around the same time as me.  And now they are all beginning to leave.  Two down, a handful more to go.  I'll be the last man standing, along with my two of my most lovely ladies, who are luckily heading to Bali with me.  I'll say goodbye to one after that, and continue on with the other throughout SE Asia.  I'll say goodbye to her at the end of August before I embark on Sri Lanka alone.

Alone at the end of a 16 month adventure just hit me.  Might not have planned that one well....

I mean.  I get teary eyed ending a three week vacation, what in flippin' tar-nation am I going to do in two months when I throw my last peace sign at this land after living here for 13 months?  It's not the land I'm going to miss, though.  Korea, as a destination, was hit and miss this year.  All the hits came from the people I have fallen in love with.  My experience here has been baaaaallin' thanks to them.  And now I have to accept that I'll likely never see most of them again.  A few, sure, perhaps on future travels together (because at the very least, I know that these people will continue seeing the world, as will I), but for the most part, let's be honest: we've got Facebook.

I'm trying to let the universe do her thang, but the bittersweet'ness of this is all compounded by the fact that I have been seeing and investing time in one beautiful, veganly cooking, ridiculous pun-telling, lovely tattoo'd, finely pierced, genuine and kind Irishman (this is legitimately what I call him, I might not actually know his name).  So not only am I anxiously transitioning my life in two months by peacing out of the country and adios'ing my friends, I've now also gotta au revior someone who's infiltrated m'heart.  A cameo-lover, if you will.  Alas, the end is nigh, yall.  Soooo dang nigh.  For friendships and cameo-lovers alike.

Brain.  Implosion.

In any case, what I'm doing in my brain right now as the 59 day countdown closes in is 1) freaking, and 2) making it a lesson: gotta go with the flow, take the things/people/animals/etc the universe throws at me, relish in them, love them up, down and all around, and be able to let them go.  Momma's gotta get a hold on that free spirit, because I sho' am making plans for my future that keep me from settling down any time'ish.

What I've learned from this lesson-I-am-learning-and-trying-harder-to-learn is that I am basically always surrounded by incredibles.  They rock.  I've invested in a lot of time, emotion, and love into them all, as they have with me.  Whatever happens with us all, happens, and that's cool because what we have is fucking awesome shared experiences together, always with the potential for more down the road.  I'm gonna guess this isn't the only batch of incredibles thrown at me by the universe.  There will be more.  And I'm going to fearlessly embrace the hell out of them, too. 

People.  I'm loving them all (but I haven't forgotten the animals.  I REALLY LOVE THOSE, TOO).

Remember when my blogs were clever and funny and about things?  I think I remember telling a tale or two.  Now it's just crazy-brain ramblings.  Might be time to sign off and actually start a journal.

But if I did that, I wouldn't be able to share THIS:

Matty lives in Cali now!  That's his "Pimpin' ain't easy" look.

And...my new ink!  I've been wanting this for years, to cover up the dumb meaningless thing I got when I was 18 that my mom hated.  So now, finally 11 years later, I have something that I think is beautiful.  It was an amazing experience, too, all underground (some vague legalities about tattoos in Korea), and the man who did it is a straight up artist; this bad boy was free-handed:

feel totally weird posting my torso on the web. feel weirder posting  just how pink my bathroom tile is.

And this is that and that is that.

Things be happening. And that's how I feel about that.

In no particular order:

1)  I have 2 1/2 months left in Korea.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.

2) I have 6 countries mapped out for this summers adventure, including stints with an elephant orphanage, buddhist monks, and a sea turtle conservation project.  I feel exciiiiiited about that.

3)  I have 1 more full week with Matty-pants before he goes home to his new family in California.  I feel happysadhappy about that.

4)  I have finally begun a long awaited ink/art project and it is looking b.e.a.utiful.  I feel badass about that.

5)  I have met someone interesting who I have (astoundingly) been making time for...at the end of my time here.  I feel sort of absurd (but happy) about that.

6) I have a solid gig lined up for the 90 days I am allowing myself in Dallas when I return in October.  I feel relieved about that.

7)  I'm various percentages of certain about what I'll be doing after those 90 days in Dallas.  I'm 100% certain whatever it is will be located somewhere interesting in the world.  I feel open minded about that.

8)  I've almost completely mastered vegan eating, give or take one or two malfunctions with dessert/coffee treats per month.  I feel healthy about that.

9)  I have never been more certain about my decision to quit Omni, as my new gig at TLC has proven incredible.  I feel every good feeling in the world about that.

10)  This is my first Sunday at home in Ulsan in 5 weeks..  I feel like I should have nap....about that.

happenings

Rollin' down the street wit my daaawg..

laid back

Exactly yes, exactly right

My future sister-in-law sent this to me last week, and I keep going back to it.  It's perfect, it's exactly yes, it's exactly right. 

Before I came to Korea there were all these questions about uprooting my life at 28, when I should be looking to settle down.  These questions were annoying, but I was more confused about why anyone cared so much.  I was living in Dallas, a city very obsessed with very frivolous things; social status, plastic surgery, high heels and 'finding a man' (did you know that life can't begin until you find 'the one?').  To be honest, I did get caught up in this on occasion, which was infuriating, because it felt all wrong. It confused me to be that concerned over things I wasn't that concerned about that I was 'supposed' to be really concerned about.  <--also confused and concerned about that sentence.

I'd been there already.  I'd had two men, two loves, 7 consecutive years worth of dependence and confused identity.  Both were millimeters away from marriage, before the age of 28, before I could possibly have had a clue about what I wanted for my life (I was a late bloomer in the 'Who am I?' department; losing a mama at 19 can stagnate you).  My destiny in both of those relationships was to become an affluent stay at home housewife, which is what way too many women dream about and think they want.  It took me too long to realize that I would have been absolutely bored to tears. It's not what I want for myself at the moment.  I'm lucky to have realized that in time.

I preach about this a lot, and am asked in various flabbergasting ways, But don't you want to find the one?  What about your soulmate?' 

Dudes.  I have found the one(s).  I have a handful of soulmates, near and far.  Those that I talk to every day, those that I email every two months, those that I see every 5 years...no matter how large or small their role in my life, no matter how they came into my life, they add value to it and make it better, and I've been affected and impacted hugely simply by having the pleasure of knowing them.  Their love and support is just an added bonus.  Isn't that what meaningful relationships are?

The article focuses on female relationships, and I definitely concur with the strength that comes from those, particularly when in close proximity having shared experiences (E.g., me and my ladies here Ulsan), but I personally attribute the same sentiments to several of my male and female and especially familial relationships (Old Man Pops and M'bro).

My favorite, super empowering snippet from the author:

The Wrinklies weren’t spinsters or old maids and they were not “failures” in any way. They were free. It was I who failed to see them, until later, for who they really were: educated, hugely intelligent, fascinating, financially independent. Women who led rich lives full of meaningful work, deep and lasting friendship, sex when they wanted it, time with the beloved children of their family and friends, conversations about politics and art and literature, culture, travel to remarkable destinations where they did not journey as unconscious tourists but as guests in people’s homes and hearts. Despite these full lives they owned their own time, they owned their days. I did not. I was too busy trying to find someone who would spend the days with me, as if this would validate my presence in the world.

Validate your own presence in this world, my friends, and enhance that presence with the incredible friends and soulmates that already surround you.  And welcome more into your life, for as long as you live.  And for crying out loud, count your flippin' blessings and don't lose perspective.  What's important is what you already have.  Enjoy it, bathe in it, roll around in it.

Might as well top this off with a resounding "and save the animals."

Amen.

...dare I trek it alone?

My travel lady and I mapped out our SE Asia conquests today.  Things look good and we are panda-amped.  However, it turns out I still have a whole month to fill on my own.  

Originally, my other travel lady and I were going to meet in Nepal to trek Annapurna during that month.  Alas, her new life plan to attend clown school (excuse me, physical theater school) has interrupted our trip, and it's all on me now.  I fully support and high five her new direction, so it ain't no thang, and luckily I really enjoy traveling solo, however... if I find myself in Nepal, that hot mama Annapurna would be right in front of me, all enticing and appealing and stuff.  "Come hike me, little girl," she would say, irresistibly.  How could I say no?  Just look at her!

As if she weren't magical enough, turns out her name in Sanskrit means "bestower of food in great quantities."  I. Must. Go.

It's just that...I trip a lot, especially going up.  Something about not picking up my feet or whatever.  It would be really sad if I cracked my teeth off my face from a fall and no one was there to laugh and cry with me over it.  You really need a friend in situations like those to help find your missing teeth.  And there's the other obvious, rational potential problems to consider when it comes to a multi-day trek, like getting lost (I get lost in my own apartment most of the time), sick, murdered, blah blah.  I'm not sure I have the plums to go it alone, but the desire to see the magic is po-tent....there's a legit debate inside my brain, unwise as it may be.

Deeeee-cisions.

Korea finally WOW'ed me

We went to Gangwan-do Province, near the DMZ border in Sokcho for Lunar New Year.  We were looking for a snowy, winter wonderland, and a warm cottage with wine and awesomery.  And holy shit. We found it in a major way.

My ladies and I decided to hike Ulsan Bawi, part of Mt. Seoraksan.   We were ill prepared.  At least, I was.  For whatever reason, I packed pajamas for the whole weekend.  My thought was "it's gonna be cold, I should be fuzzy and snuggly!"  I'm dumb.  I sho' did bust out the ol' cozy sundress and fuzzy pants for a seriously snowy, steep, and slippery hike.  I mean, I was warm, and I managed to be one of the last ladies standing on ice.  But Jesus Taliban, Korea is affecting my style.  I don't think I had much to begin with, but I've recently found myself taking 'fashion faux pas' to another level.

Anyway.

It was supposed to be a 2 hour hike up, but we professional hikers like to pause for snowball fights, sandwiches, and photo montages.  It took something like 5 hours.  Going down was easy; we sledded down on our butts almost the entire way.  Snow enemas!

We also almost died from a roof avalanche, and I learned that if you are ever trapped in snow, you should drool (or spit) so you know which way is up.  Releasing other bodily functions will help, also.  Whatever you let out of yourself, gravity will pull it down so you know to dig the opposite way.  FYI.

ready'ish to hike

fashion adviiiice?

Ulsan Bawi - we hit the top o' that mother

antics

yep

I've never seen so much snow!  I've never been so soaking wet from so much snow.  I've never had so much fun.  Hands down, best day in Korea.  Or, hands up.  Praise Korea!

The next day we bebopped down a valley to check out Biryon Falls aka Narnia.  NARNIA.  I was also allowed to borrow real clothes.  I have good friends.  Or, I embarrass good friends.  Either/or.

It's good to finally know there is at least one place in Korea that can take your breath away.  Sadly, it still gets infiltrated:

Happy Lunar New Year! Here's the usual collage o' events:

2012

NYE was great and exactly the way anyone/everyone should start out a new year.  We opted to forego any partying and hopped a bus to Ilsan beach to check out Daewangam Park, an awesome set of rocks on the water that you get to by a wee little footbridge, that as you cross, you think "Wow, it would totally blow if this fell and I crashed into the water."  Since it was a night hike, we couldn't really see anything and we froze our eyeballs off, but we concluded that water and nature-y stuff at night is cool and ominous.  The waves hit the rocks and it sounded like thunder, and there were stars and planets in the sky.  We stared at Jupiter and Neptune for a while and then went to thaw out at a coffee shop.  BUT!  Before we thawed out, we found this thing.  This crazy thing called love...

On our way down the rocks, there was this random booth.  I was seriously excited because it looked like a photo booth, and has anyone ever not had fun in a photo booth?  Turns out, it was a Post Office...a Post Office of Love.  It offered little postcards so that you can mail love letters.  WHO DOESN'T WANT TO START OFF THEIR NEW YEAR SENDING LOVE LETTERS?!  So, Old Man Pops, check your mailboxy, here's hoping the Post Office of Love mails internationally.

Post Office of Love with ladies I love.

Poor Matty Pants was poooooped after this hike, and he was frozen because I went a little crazy with the scissors and his hair earlier in the day; he lost about 10lbs of curls which apparently = brrr.  We be-bopped into a coffee shop with our own soju, our own snacks, and our own dog and sat there for an hour without ordering a thaang.  It was a lot like being homeless and looking for a warm place to sleep, which Matty did immediately with a giant thud from his head onto the table.  At which point, we were all "let's annoy him and dress him up and take pictures."  Because ain't no thang sweeter than a sleepy pup in winter scarves and stuff.  I need a major dose of my pitbull/shepherd/doberman crew at home.  Life with this guy is getting way too cute for comfort.

HappyNewYearLetMeSleepDamnit

Six days into 2012 I booked a one way ticket to Bali, departing July 1.  Where I go from there, nobody knows, but my adventures will include an amazing lady alongside for part of the way, some solo travel (seeking another fellow traveler or two, any takers?), and lots of sights/living/falling in love/being dirty/hopefully eating well/volunteering/exhaustion/happiness.

I anticipate a lot from this year.  I am most looking forward to another year of me-on-my-own-thinking-freely, exploration and discovery, and love; love for myself and all of the incredible people who surround me in my life (dude, there are so many of them.  and their levels of incredible'ness are overwhelming).

This song defined my 2011.  To be honest, I hope it defines my 2012, as well.  Nothing like growing up and finding yourself, and then finding yourself again (and again).   Right?  Go '12.

Merry Christmasy!

First of all, apologies to the universe and my karma for sending out an ill-timed Kim Jong-il Christmas card.  I didn't know he was going to die an hour'ish later.  My bad (still funny?):

Second, check out my insanely cute new students from my wonderful new school.  They were all "Merry Christmas, we're so cute it's stupid!":

Aaaand, today we volunteered at the Ulsan orphanage to show the kiddos a good time.  I think they enjoyed it...they seemed to be either exhilerated or terrified by the amount of waygooks singing carols all up in their faces.

Merry, Merry.  Here's to happiness and magic for all.

Melbourne and magic with m'bro - Part 2

M'brain went elsewhere in the last post about Melbourne.  Record scratch/rewind:  what happened in Australia?  LOTS!

After a long flight (turns out Oz isn't as close as it looks on the map), my favorite Australian picked me up at the airport and gave me a quick half-day-50-cent tour around the city, which was marvelous enough on 4 hours of sleep over 14 hours of travel.  First stop, VEGGIE BAR!  This man knew the way to my heart.  We ate <drooled> and stared out into Fitzroy on Brunswick Street and I immediately knew I loved this place.  It was almost as if he hired actors to walk by as we were eating, just to amaze me, it was that unreal.  What's that stuff called?  Character and charm?  Oh man.  This place has it...it reminded me of Deep Ellum, where I used to live in Dallas, but wayyyy better.  Naturally, my battery was totally die and I didn't get a chance to take many pictures.  I was also totally infatuated with my full belly, excellent company, and supreme surroundings.

That night and the next morning, I happily be-bopped around the city for more food, hopped a bus to Phillip Island where I checked Churchill Isle (I was kind of confused by this place, actually) a koala reserve, and saw a wallabe or two before we headed to the penguin parade.  The tour was alright...the bus driver disliked me and a fellow traveler because we were late getting back to the bus after a stop.  He legit yelled at us for being six minutes late.  He must have thought I was a total smart-ass when I just smiled big and laughed at him because it took me a good minute to realize he was actually yelling at us...that jolly Australian accent is so coated with pleasure. 

Aside from that, the penguin parade is quite possibly the most adorable thing I've ever seen in my life.  Over 1,000 Little Penguins came trotting up out of the water for us, following their little route home, as they do every evening.  The Little Penguin reserve takes precautions to preserve the sanctity of this nightly migration, so we watched from out of the way and weren't allowed to take pictures or video in order to keep from disturbing the Little Penguin's routine.  The place is totally non-profit and awesome and seriously the cutest little thing I've ever seen.  Check it out.  And take a jacket.  For whatever insane reason I didn't equate that penguins = cold.  Erghhbrrr.

Once M'bro and I met up, we zipped out to NSW for his show, I drooled over the scenery, and we slept hard that night.  Poor M'bro; his allergies were insane.  Poor me; we had to share the bed.  It was like sleeping with an epileptic goose all night.

His festival was ballin', and he is such a rock star.  He has fans!  And groupies.  It was totally weird. I love him and everything about him and what he does.  Hearts, M'bro, big hearts.  We travel really well together.

Of course, on our way back to Victoria, we were almost murdered and had clothes made out of our dead, murdered skin at a remote cactus museum we wandered in upon.  More about this later.

Other magnificent things about Oz with M'bro that would end up being you totally had to be there stories that anyone's eyes would glaze over at (so I'mma share anyway):

-Great Ocean Drive.  Hot damn.
-12 apostles.  Hot damn.
-Discovering hidden trails and salamander'ish'y things.
-Watching surfers from the edge of a cliff.
-Not falling off the edge of a cliff.
-Helping an Echidna cross the road (M'bro is definitely related to me). To get to the other side.  ba doop chhh.
-Winding through the forest.  Rookie right side driver. Screaming not to die.
-$17 chickpea burgers
-Hijacking the Marriot.  Learning that M'bro is a terrible liar.
-Treasury Park, as if we'd never seen ducks before.
-Afternoon beers, evening beers, night beers = drunk M'bro.
-Not getting a hug goodbye because of way-too-hungover M'bro.  Priceless and slightly disconcerting.

I sadly/miserably/tearfully left M'bro on a rainy Wednesday morning after getting him severely obliterated the night before, and hit up the airport for an 8 hour flight to Guanzhou, China, where I had a 14 hour layover waiting for me.  I definitely thought I would either A) be sleeping for 14 hours on the airport floor or b) shelling out like a mo'fo for an airport hotel.  Turns out, neither happened, because China Southern Airlines is the man.  They set me up with a temporary visa for the night and a shuttle to a hotel, where my room came with breakfast.  Breakfast a veg couldn't eat, but still nice.  I made friends along the way who were up for exploring Guangzhou proper for the night, for better or worse...

Dude, I know I shouldn't judge a country by one part of a city seen on one night, but I learned immediately that China is a whole different ball game from Korea.  A few hours in G-town was pah-lenty.  I'm surprised my feet are still attached to my body after crossing the street, and I'm no rookie to the "different country, crazy driving" phenom.  I've been around, yall, and this was nuts.  Naturally, my evening kicked off  with a giant disgusting truck full of sweet, beautiful, fat pigs going off to slaughter pulling up right alongside my animal activist self.  Damnit.  Also, I learned that veg-sushi in Guangzhou = spaghetti noodles on soy sauce.  Boom.  There were so many other aspects of this single-night experience that were disturbing and can't be put into words.  Some places just make you feel really uncomfortable and this was one of them for me.  Guangzhou, I am not a fan of you.  Get yourself together.

The rest of the trip back was seamless, and cold, because this effing place is cold and I'm really not sure I'm going to survive the winter.

And so, bam. Go Australia. It was quick, it was not Korean, and it will require faaaar more exploration at some point in my lifetime.  I say that about a lot of places (not Guangzhou, China), and this tops the list.  I'm enamored.

As for the job, I managed to work things out to stay in Korea for the next 6 months.  I'm relieved by this, as exciting and enlightening as it was to consider picking up and sailing away somewhere new on a whim...I'm glad my original plans get to stay intact.

Let me quickly point out (and stop quickly before this happens again...) that "relieved" doesn't mean that I'm happy or sad about staying...I just am.  It's good for a lot of reasons, but it's also blah for a lot of reasons.  I am toooootally grateful for the panic the brief job/country/life search caused me, as I uncovered some pretty awesome potential opportunities to consider for my "next step" after traveling next year. There are some really attractive options on my list to look into, all of which ensure that no matter what, I'll be embarking onward, somewhere with everything I desire to make me smile and breathe big and sigh and say "wowie-wow-wow!"  So, for that, word.

And so, bam. Go Australia.

Christmas Shopping

It just occurred to me that it actually 'tis the season...I've lost all concept of holidays while away from home.  This will be my first Christmas away from my family and America, and I'm finding it to be quite a relief, honestly:  Holiday sales.  Malls.  Parking.  I'm twitching thinking about it all.   It's really, really great to be away from the stores and the shopping and the madness that is in full swing in 'merica right now.  This process has all been feeling sillier and sillier to me over the past few years, but there's been no escaping it until now.

I'm no Scrooge...I totally dig the spirit.  It's effing cooooold here, and that means winter and holidays, right?  It's so cold I curse every 2 steps of the way outside, but those curse words are totally full of holiday cheer (ohmygottsitssocoldiwanttobreakthings).  And, I mean, I stopped tonight for hot chocolate and played Christmas carols for my students while they made adorable holiday cards.  So what up, holidays, mama got-chu.  Without the malls and shopping and commercials and screaming.  Boo-ya.

All of this to say, I feel Christmasy, but without all the overwhelming commercial pressure.  I actually couldn't think of anything to add to my family's annual "Santa's Wishlist."  There is not a thing in the world that I want or need right now...and let's be honest, I am pretty silly and frivolous and can always think of something.  But this year?  I'm coo'.  Must be growing up.

This got me thinking.  *I* don't need anything.  But many others do.  Many others need and want things that I would never consider needing and wanting in my life.

Remember earlier this year when I volunteered with the International Rescue Committee?   I liked it a lot.  It's a great organization.  I wish I could still volunteer.  But I can't right now, so I've decided to support them in a different way for Christmas.

This year I'm giving sustainable gifts to refugees in honor of my family and friends.  You should too.  Everyone should.  Go to their site and fill up your cart with mosquito nets, school supplies, emergency food for children, temporary shelters...the options in their catalog are endless and more than affordable.

The Rescue Gifts items in this catalog represent many of the programs, projects and tools that compose the IRC's work every day around the world. Allowing us to deliver comprehensive and holistic help to uprooted people, your gift will be used where and when most needed. And, when combined with those of other donors, your Rescue Gift becomes a powerful means to survival, recovery, and the restoration of dignity and self-reliance for those uprooted by conflict or natural disaster.

Take my word that this organization is well worth your gander.  I met and worked with a small sample of the people these gifts help.  "Restoration of dignity and self-reliance" means the world to those who have been broken down by unimaginable circumstances, something anyone reading this post from a warm, comfy chair in front of a computer cannot fathom.

Give a good gift this year, one that matters and one that will legitimately make a few lives in the world a little better.  I think.... I think that is what is important and what we are really supposed to do during the holidays.  Give.  Like, for real give.

Go.

Melbourne and magic with m'bro

Oh Gotts.  I love Melbourne.  There are so, so many reasons for my enchantment with this place, first and foremost, it being a straight up ballin' city, buuuuut I can't help but wonder if my fascination lies within the fact that it's my first trip outside of Korea in 6 months.  I don't want to think that because so many amazing things happened during my week there, but it is plausible.

Because of this, I've been fully enlightened by m'brain!   I didn't really realize just how disenchanted I am with Korea until I got to Melbourne.  Before the plane even landed, I saw green stuff.  Like, GRASS.  And the sky was blue and the clouds were WHITE!  And I was going to have dericious food options other than bibimbap and garlic cloves, OH GOD!

I was already euphorically high just from looking out the window of the plane when I was picked up from the airport by one beautiful and incredible Melbourne-man-turned-amazing-penpal who I met in Peru last year (having penpals counts, yall).  Everything REALLY wonderful and magical started right then:  I ate falafel!  I looked at street art!  I drooled over people with tattoos and dreadlocks!  I read street signs in English!  I wore dresses and tank tops!  I felt sunshine, like real, legit sunshine that turned my shoulders red!  I saw animals in fields living lovely lives!  So much, so many, so much greatness. My brain was on absorption overload and the break from Korea was welcomed more than I could have anticipated.

When I met up with m'bro, we drove out to his show in NSW and I became even more obsessed.  The sky!  THE SKY TOUCHES THE GROUND OUT THERE.  There's nothing like it.  I could have driven for days staring out the window.  Apparently, during the drive, everything I filled my brother and his tour mate in on about Korea resulted in them questioning my happiness.  "You really hate it, huh?"  "It's that bad?"

Mmmmmm.  Cue the enlightenment:  I've actually never felt unhappy here, nor like I wanted out.  In fact, I thought I was having a great time.  I mean, I have been having a great time, fully due to the incredible soulmate-like-friends I've made and the memories we've been creating together.  I really wasn't aware that I was coming across so cynically while talking about my experiences, though.  I'd explain this by saying there's a certain dry humor you pick up after living in Korea in order to accept and live normally with so many vague cultural differences that seem absurd and it obviously can't translate to anyone who hasn't lived here and done this.  No thang, right?  It's just the way we roll on about living in Korea and it  makes us laugh.  "It's funny because it's true, duuurp."

BUT!  I've thought about it more seriously.  While I don't mind living here and I am growing a lot and learning a lot and blah blah blah, I definitely am looking to be wow'ed.  There's no wow-factor here.  And I learned this past week that I really need that.  I need to stare out a window and sigh over the sky and the fields and the free range cows, sheep, and alpaca's (Australia has alpaca's?).  I need to eat more food that makes me moan blissfully.  I need to stare at beautiful, interesting people expressing-not-oppressing themselves.  This I need, I need this.

My re-negotiated contract at Omni ends in 2 weeks, and due to many infuriating complications created by my boss there, it's a legit possibility that I'll be forced to find a new country to explore, which despite the hassle and looooong stretch from my original plan, I will just have to roll with.  I simply can't do anything about the small power a disillusioned boss wants to dangle over the heads of his outgoing foreign teachers.  My co-worker and I are fighting it and hoping for the best for the sake of our original plans, but I definitely see potential in opening different doors, given my recent enlightenment.

Wherever I go and whatever I do next needs to be awesome and it has to make me sigh loudly and smile to the point that strangers think I'm crazy and possibly on drugs.  Mama's on a mission.

I need:
-A blue sky.  Oh God, I need a blue sky.
-Grass!
-Moan-worthy food
-Culture!   Real, for real culture.

Also, for the record, my backpack has now touched 6 continents.  Booyakasha.

And on that note, this post has officially lost direction.  Stay tuned for actual tales from Melbourne.

Blog, shmog

When I first started this thaaang, I really enjoyed sitting and writing and telling tales about getting to Korea.  Those were tales to tell.  There are still tales to tell, but since I've been here,  this blog has simply become a quick way to update my friends and family with pictures and "where I been" posts.  Which is fine, but far less entertaining...hopefully this will change come the new job with half the hours, allowing me more time A) to be creative and interesting and B) more time,  period. Good, fun, and ridiculous things are happening and their memories are trapped inside my head; they need to be sprung more often. 

Until that's possible, here are four things I wish I had more time to write about.  I've been obsessed with and fulfilled by many things over the past 6 months, things that I think others can obsess over and be fulfilled by, as well.  By "others," I mean the 3 people that may still read this blog:

1. Vegetarianism.  I've been one for a while.  Years now, in fact; it worked for me by removing certain meats at a time until all were out of my diet. However, I've never been a healthy vegetarian.  Bag o' pretzels?  Check.  Giant baked potato?  Cool, hold the bacon bits.  Salad covered in ceasar dressing?  Right on.  I've been totally NOT eating meat, but not doing my body any favors, either.  Until I finally watched Forks Over Knives, a documentary I've been wanting to see since before its release.  It fully changed my take on vegetarianism; it is SO MUCH MORE than animal welfare, which is of course, the cause with which I'm most adept.  I was always aware of the other benefits to boycotting the meat industry, but I'm much more informed now and constantly educating myself further:  There are huge ramifications to our health and our planet because of the massive meat consumption and consumerism.  It's terrifying.  From the moment I finished the movie, I've been pumping my body full of wholly plant based foods and have seriously never felt better.  My body and my brain are thanking me in ways I didn't know possible, and when I slip and indulge in some past guilty pleasures, I feel very unpleasant effects.  Not only do I feel better, but my awareness has skyrocketed and I am a much stronger advocate against meat and feel empowered by my growing knowledge.  It is painful knowledge, as I know that the larger percentage of the world has yet to be enlightened, but I wouldn't choose ignorance over this subject for anything.  If you are intrigued, definitely check out the doc: http://www.forksoverknives.com/

2.  Asthanga yoga.  Holy chakra, yall.  I've never been a yogi and this is changing my life.  It took me a while to get the breathing down and grasp the practice for what it is truly meant to be, and now I don't think I can ever live without it in my life.  It has centered me, calmed me, and I feel light on my feet and happy.  I mean, this stuff makes me happy.  I smile more.  I laugh more.  Things are shinier and lighter.  Try it.  Try it more than once.  And love it, also.

3.  Jonathan Saffron Foer.  Read his books: Everything is Illuminated, Extremely Close and Incredibly Loud, and Eating Animals.  I still need to see the full movie based on his first book, Everything is Illimunated.  If you like Gogol Bordello, you'll like the movie; the lead singer plays the main character perfectly.  I've watched several YouTube scenes and laughed my hearty butt off.  Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has a major film coming out on Christmas this year, as well, starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.  But read the book first.  Jonathan Saffron Foer is a prodigy and totally enlightening.  Learning about him and reading his work makes me wonder what the hell I've done with my life....  How is it possible that he was 23 when he wrote his first book, a book that has made me laugh and cry out loud, a book so complex that I have had to re-read multiple pages for clarity, all while being fully and completely entertained and entangled in the story?  He's fantastic, his books are fantastic, and you'll be fantastic for reading them.

4.  Life In A Day.  Watch this film.  Period.  It's a 94 minute collaboration from Ridley Scott and YouTube capturing life around the world on July 24th, 2010.  Over 80k clips were submitted from 192 countries.  The editing is magical and the result is beautiful, shocking, unbiased, etc etc etc.  Watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/lifeinaday

Go forth, try these things, feel happy, love them, and be enlightened and awesome.